Vikings win twice to improve to 11-5 overall

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Augustana women's tennis team completed its trip by winning a pair of matches on Thursday, March 3 in Orlando, Florida. The Vikings rallied for a 5-4 victory against previously unbeaten Christopher Newport in the morning match before sweeping Hanover 9-0 in the afternoon, completing the trip with a 2-2 mark.

The momentum quickly turned as Christopher Newport won the first set at all six spots and wrapped up victories at No. 3, 4, and 5 singles, moving ahead 4-2 and needing only one more point for the victory. Augustana stayed in the match when Sawyer rallied for a (4-6, 6-3, 6-1) win at No. 2 against Gloor to keep the Vikings alive, and freshmen Emily Kaczmarek (Glenbard South HS, Lombard, Ill.) came through with a huge performance in only her fourth career varsity singles match, defeating Melisande Downs (3-6, 6-2, 6-4) at No. 6 to even the score at 4-4. McNamara held on to win her second set in a tie-breaker to keep the match alive and dominated the final set of her match at No. 1, beating Stafford (4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-1) to clinch the victory.

Coming off the terrific comeback in the morning, the Vikings came out firing in the afternoon, sweeping the three doubles matches on the way to a convincing win to close out the trip. McNamara and Sawyer won (8-3) at No. 1 over Allie Gullett and Angie Parry-Lemon, senior Tricia Sapio (Barrington HS, Hoffman Estates, Ill.) and sophomore Krista Panko (Geneva HS, Geneva, Ill.) held on to win (8-6) at No. 2 against Dani Miller and Mandy Learned, and sophomore Meghan Wethington (Geneseo HS, Geneseo, Ill.) and Kaczmarek were (8-0) winners over Jen Hurst and Holly Brucken at No. 3.

The Vikings also swept all six singles matches in straight sets. Sawyer won her fourth singles match of the week (6-0, 6-4) over Gullett at No. 1 and McNamara came through with a (6-3, 6-2) victory against Parry-Lemon at No. 2. Sapio earned her first singles win of the week at No. 3 defeating Heather Washburn (6-3, 6-1). Panko did the same at No. 4, defeating Kat Brinegar (6-0, 6-1). Hendricks nailed down a (6-2, 6-0) decision over Paige Spalding at No. 5 and Reece won (6-1, 6-3) against Ashton Kelsay at No. 6.

Augustana improves to 11-5 overall and will now face Wartburg in Waverly, Iowa on Sunday, March 13.

Sawyer wins 17 th singles match in Viking loss

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Augustana women's tennis team faced off with a strong NAIA Webber International squad on Wednesday, March 2 and fell 8-1 in the squad's second match of its spring trip in Orlando, Florida.

After being swept in doubles, the Vikings turned in three close matches in singles play, eventually earning a win at No. 1 singles from freshman Kim Sawyer (Batavia HS, Batavia, Ill.) . Sawyer edged Nathalia Chaddad (7-6 (6), 1-6, (10-6)) to score the lone point for the Vikings. Freshmen Shannen McNamara (Battle Mountain HS, Avon, Colo.) also played well, falling (7-5, 6-3) to Laura Novak in a two and a half hour match at No. 2 singles. Senior Sheri Hendricks (Wheaton Warrenville South HS, Warrenville, Ill.) dropped her match (6-2, 6-4) to Anna Culaba in another competitive match at No. 5 singles.

The Vikings will finish the trip with a pair of matches against Christopher Newport and Hanover on Thursday, March 3. Augustana is now 9-5 overall this season.